10 worst snowstorms in Metro Detroit history

Oakland County residents are no strangers to winter storms such as the one that struck the region Friday, turning roads into skating rinks, causing fender benders and canceling hundreds of flights to the Northeast area of New York, Massachusetts and Maine where up to three feet of snow is possible by the end of the weekend.

A blizzard is defined as a violent snowstorm with winds blowing at a minimum speed of 35 miles per hour and visibility of less than one-quarter mile for three hours.

UPDATE: In 2014, the Detroit area broke a record for the snowiest winter ever, with 94.9 inches of snow. It included 77 straight days with an inch or more of snow on the ground and the snowiest single month on record, Jan. 2014, when 39.1 inches of snow fell. It was the fourth-coldest winter on record, too, with 79 days where the high failed to reach the freezing mark. SOURCE: weather.com.The worst 10 snowstorm in Detroit history, according to the National Weather Service, include:

1. April 6, 1886, 24.5 inches. Accompanying winds caused drifts up to 12 feet high in some places. All forms of transportation in Southeast Michigan were halted.

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2. Dec. 1-2, 1974, 19.2 inches, 27 dead, including 22 from heart attacks from shoveling. Waterford Township postmaster Gary DeVar who owned a four-wheel-drive vehicle responded to media pleas and took a Clarkston woman to receive kidney dialysis. He waited until after her treatment and then took her home.

In contrast, Dearborn police refused a call from a man who wanted them to put snow tires on his car for him. However, they did assist a man whose vehicle had ran out of gas and he had suffered frostbite. They took him to hospital for assistance.

Schools closed to the delight of children and Pontiac Motors, Fisher Body and General Motors Truck & Coach closed due to lack of workers. The Oakland County Sheriff's Deputies used snowmobiles to deliver three women in labor to their hospitals.

3. Jan. 26-27, 1978 -- 19 inches.

4. March 4-5, 1900 -- 16.1

5. Jan. 31-Feb 1, 1878 -- 15.7 inches.

6. Feb. 28-March 1, 1900 -- 14 inches.

7. Feb. 28-March 1, 1875 -- 14 inches.

8. Dec. 18-19, 1929 -- 13.8 inches.

9. Feb. 12-13, 1884 -- 12.8 inches.

10. Feb. 19, 1900 -- 12.6 inches.

The largest seasonal snowfall came in the winter of 1925-26 when a total of 78 inches -- more than double the average 41.3 inches -- fell.

Ice storms have also caused severe disruption to Oakland County residents.

An ice storm on April 9, 1979 left seven dead and 100,000 without power. On Jan. 3, 1985, 200,000 lost power.